Michael mullins and cephas fleming



(No Mdel.)

M. MULLINS au o. PLEMING.v RAIL JOINT AND NUT LOCK.

No; 605,739.- Patented June 14,1898.

lw/A/ESSE v Wada n y BY l Afro/NE NTTED l TATES* 'FA-TENT Tirion MICHAEL MULLrNs AND cEPHAs ELEMINGyoE THE UNITED sTATEs ARMY.

VRAIlisatiouar AND tio-remoti.

SPECIFICATION 'Olming part Of Letters Eatent No. 605,739, dated J' une 14, 1898. Application tiled January 22, 1898. SerialNo. 667,577. (No model.)

Army, at present residing in Plattsburg, in

the county of Clinton and State of NewYork,l have invented a new and Improved Rail-Joint and Nut-Lock, of which'the following is a full,

v clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to an improvementv in rail-joints and nut-locks; and it consists of certain features which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be `had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar Vcharacters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a railjoint constructed in accordance with our invention. Figs. 2 and 3' are lcross-sectional elevations taken, respectively, on the lines 2 2 and 3 3 in Fig. 4; and Fig. 4 is a top plan View, partially in section.k

vThe object of ourv invention is to produce a rail-joint and nut-lock combined which will more firmly hold the rail Ain place and prevent any possible unscrewingjlof` the bolts which bind the sh-plates tothe rail.

The rails A are of any usualconstruction and are connected at their ends by means of the fLsh-platesB and B. These fish-plates are made in'general as angle-irons and are provided 4with a base having its outer edge projecting` beyond the edge of the rail-base and downward toward the rail, forming a downwardly-projecting lug B2. The upper 'flange of the sh-plate which is alongside of the rail-web is hollowed out7 forming a cavity G. These plates are provided with the usual holes adapted to receive the bolts C to bind the iish-plates and the rail together. These bolts are provided with squared heads C', and one of the fish plates B is provided with squared recesses adapted to receive the heads of the bolts, and thus to prevent thebolts turning. The other fish-plate B does not have the squared recess surrounding the bolthole, but at its upper edge is provided with an outwardly-extending iiange Z9 just beneath the head of the rail.' The nut-locking plate E is used in connection with this joint and is made of a general angular cross-section having upper and lower members or flanges. The

upper-edge of the upper flange projects beneath the projecting flange'b upon the fishplate B'.

This locking-plate E is provided with squared recesses e, adapted to receive the nuts Czrluponthe ends ofthe bolts. The body of the plate is carried` out beyond the recesses "c, said projecting wall extending a little short'xof the top of the nut, so as toform an opening through which the upper edge of thev nutis visible. .V Between the bolts the plate E is recessed, as shown at e'. This results in a considerablesaving of material.

The fish-plates B and B', aswell as the nutlocking plate E, are provided with notches D in their outward lower edges, adapted to receivethe spikes `F,`by which the rails and plates are secured to the ties. The lower flange of the nut-locking plate E is also provided with a cavity'E4 upon its under side, so that the plate bears upon the {ish-plate only at its edge. This construction permits the plate to yield somewhat, and thus enables the spikes F to hold the same'more securely, as it is not asliable'to be pulled out.

Having thusfully described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A rail-joint fastening and nut-lock, comprising'angleiron fish plates having a foot extending beyond the rail-base and down t0- ward the` tie, andhaving spike -receiving notches in the outer edge, one vof saidplates having squaredbolt-head recesses about its bolt-holes, and the other plate having an outwardly-projecting rib or lip at its upper edge,

and a nut'- locking plate fitting the angle of the latter iish plate with its upper edge beneath the rib or lip and having squared recesses adapted to receive lthe nuts on the bolts, and withthe walls thereof removed to expose the upperouter corner ofthe nuts, the lower iange of the nut-locking plate having notches corresponding with those in the iish-plates to receive the spikes, and also having an under concave vgroove extending longitudinally', substantially as described.

2. A rail-joint, having a nut-lock oompris ing angle `-iron fish-plates havingafoot eX- tending beyond the rail-base and down toward the tie, and having spike receiving notches in their outer edges, one of said plates having squared bolt-head recesses about its bolt- IOO holes, and the other plate having an ontthe fish-plntes,to receive the spikcs,substm1 Wmdiy-projecting rib or lip :it its upper edge, tiriiiy :is described.

and :L nut-lockingY plate ittin(r the nnflle of i T the latter fish-pizte with its ubpper edge bc- 5 ncath the rib or lip, :md having squared rccesses adapted to receive the nuts on the Vitnesses: bo1ts,the lower finnge of the nut-lockingplate ARTHUR E. LAMARCHE, having notches corresponding with those in JOSEPH H. TnnPLnY. 

